Senior Medicines Optimisation Pharmacy Technician

Job responsibilities

Medicines management and optimisation duties

1. Undertakeprescription chart checks in line with SOPs and refer interventions or discrepancies to the appropriate pharmacist or healthcare professional when necessary ensuring that prescriptions are legible, unambiguous and legally acceptable.
2. Conduct ward and clinic level audits, and report results as appropriate.
3. Maintain safe systems of medication supply to wards and teams.
4. Be responsible for the supply of medicines.
5. Complete medicines reconciliation in line with SOPs.
6. Assess suitability, quality and identity of patients own medicines (PODs) for extended use on wards and as discharge medicines in line with SOPs and encourage patients relatives or carers to bring in patients own medicines.
7. Monitor stock control and storage of medicines on the wards and at team bases to ensure timelyavailability whilst minimising waste. Undertake routine statutory storage and controlled drug checks of medicines on wards and in teams.
8. Liaise with wards / teams, pharmacy staff and clinical pharmacists to ensure stock lists are up to date and reflect current and emergency usage in line with trust guidelines.
9. Facilitate discharge through liaison with GP practices, community teams and community pharmacies, to ensure seamless transfer of care and continuity of supply and ensure appropriate use of adherence aids.
10. Liaise closely with other healthcare professionals regarding interface issues affecting patients including GPs community pharmacies and district nurses.
11. Order routine stock for wards and teams in line with service SOPs.
12. Order supplies supplies of medicines for individual patients for use in hospital and at discharge as part of the one stop dispensing procedure.
13. Accuracy check the quantity and quality of drug strength form dose and directions of all medicines contained in the bedside medicine locker at regular intervals during the patient stay to cheque for discrepancies and sufficient quantity of medicines in anticipation of discharge.
14. Identify and address adherence issues liaising with health and social care professionals and carers where necessary, assisting with organising, where necessary, aids for individual patients (medication reminder cards, dosette boxes etc.).
15. Provide information and counselling on the use of medicines to selected patients and or carers taking into account their level of understanding, competence and behaviour.
16. Assess patient's ability to self-administer and monitor patients who are self-administering as per trust SOP.
17. Be responsible for resolving problems, responding to queries and providing advice at ward or team level, reporting or referring where appropriate.
18. Facilitate resolution of medicines supply problems when requested.
19. Destroy expired or unwanted medicines as per local procedures.
20. Ensure wards have appropriate stock rotation systems, stock list and medicines storage.
21. Receive information and answer or refer queries from patients and other members of the multidisciplinary team relating to the technical aspects of the clinical pharmacy service.
22. Record patient interventions and medicines activity in patients record.
23. Liaise closely with ward pharmacist and medicines safety pharmacist.

Support and develop consistent standards and practise in medicines management within the organisation

1. The position will have a degree of autonomy to act on individual patient medicine pharmaceutical care, to deliver safety improvements for individual patients. There is an expectation that the post holder will practice within safe limits and always refer to a pharmacist when unsure or when there is a need to resolve complex or more challenging situations.
2. Support the Pharmacists and Head of Medicines Optimisation to ensure that medicines are handled safely and securely within the organisation.
3. Provide advice and input to patients carers staff on issues relating to medicines management.
4. Identify and take action on pharmaceutical issues as they arise.
5. Support investigation and resolution of medicines related incidents.
6. Support staff when medication errors or incidents occur and identify ways to improve safe and secure handling of medicines.
7. To participate in regular audit and produce audit report if appropriate.
8. Identify need for and assist to develop and implement policies and procedures, patient group directions, clinical guidelines and protocols to support the safe and secure handling of medicines relevant to their work environments.
9. Assist in training of ward staff involved in medicines management and administration as appropriate.

Manage resources associated with the pharmacy service

1. Participate in regular reviews of organisational structures skill mix and deployment of pharmacy staff to ensure the service is responsive to changing needs and techniques.
2. Promote the clinical and cost-effective use of medicines throughout the organisation.
3. Interpret financial information on drug expenditure for budget holders.
4. Manage resources and identify cost saving efficiencies within any areas of service and discuss with manager to produce action plans.
5. Communicate succinctly and effectively with patients and other healthcare staff. Interventions that produce direct improvements in patient safety will be recorded to demonstrate effectiveness.

People leadership and management

1. Provide inclusive, compassionate and effective leadership for your team by setting clear vision and direction.
2. Develop a culture and environment in which members of staff are encouraged and supported to deliver high- quality services and are supported to innovate and improve services where appropriate.
3. Encourage your team to feel able to raise concerns openly and safely.
4. Support prompt recruitment and participate in the selection and effective induction and onboarding of new joiners to the team.
5. Ensure that all team members have a very positive introduction to the team and a well supported first year.
6. Ensure that key messages are cascaded in your team and that your team are encouraged to put forward suggestions.
7. Show appreciation to your team when they do good work and support them when they are struggling.
8. Consider the individual needs of team members for a healthy work-life balance and think about how their needs can be supported by providing flexible ways of working.
9. Support all team members to keep their mandatory and statutory training up-to-date and identify the learning and development needs of all team members of the team ensuring that everyone has an up-to-date personal development plan (PDP).
10. Ensure all team members receive a constructive assessment of their performance each year and set SMART objectives for the coming year.
11. Act as a positive role model at all times, encouraging people to feel equal members of the team whilst working within clear frameworks and policies.
12. Ensure that you and your team understand all of the agreed key performance indicators for your service, particularly relating to outcomes and essential standards to be met.
13. Ensure that you and your team understand data quality standards and that all the necessary records for your service are maintained and reported.
14. Ensure that you and your team understand all of the clinical and business action plans relevant to your services.
15. Ensure that you and your team understand all of the monitoring, auditing and reporting systems relevant to your services.

Service development and planning

1. Actively seek opportunities for improvement for the services which you and your team provide by identifying research evidence and best practice elsewhere, interpreting/translating and facilitating adaptation for the Trust.
2. Analyse and interpret data to inform the strategic direction of the services which you and yourteam provide.
3. Ensure multidisciplinary involvement and the use of quality improvement (QI) techniques in service improvement, by negotiating shared solutions, facilitating the resolution of complex or contentious issues and managing any conflict into constructive outcomes.
4. Ensure effective risk identification, analysis, mitigation and management within your services, encouraging all members of your team to be aware of and to manage risks.
5. Ensure that you understand all of the key governance requirements, policies and standards for your services and that these are communicated to your team; make sure your team understand the importance of good governance.

Personal and professional development

1. Maintain accreditation for the clinical skills relevant to this role.
2. Maintain a portfolio of CPD and undertake an active part in self-directed learning and appropriate training that will contribute to personal and service development.
3. Participate in regular supervision, appraisal and maintain a personal development plan.
4. Act as a role model for junior members of staff.
5. Present a positive professional image and main confidence maintain confidentiality of information at all times in accordance with the Data Protection Act .
6. Comply with the organisation policies and procedures governing personal conduct discipline and confidentiality.

Stakeholder involvement

1. Ensure awareness of the many stakeholders to your services (key stakeholders will include all members of your multi-disciplinary team, other teams, service users, families, carers, local communities, other statutory agencies, other healthcare providers etc)

2. Develop and maintain positive relationships with key stakeholders, this may include proactive communications to ensure full involvement and engagement in the delivery of services and aims and objectives.

3. Implement and lead effective two-way communications to ensure that the Service areas are responsive to the needs of patients/service users and external pressures.

Qualifications

Essential

• NVQ Level 3 - Pharmacy Service / BTEC in Pharmaceutical Science or equivalent
• Accredited checking technician status or likely to achieve within 3 months
• Current GPhC registration - Pharmacy Technician
• Medicines reconciliation accreditation
• Medicines related patient consultation skills accreditation
• Medicines Management accreditation

Desirable

• Supervisory skills
• Member of APTUK
• Educational Supervisor or NVQ assessor to A1 standard or equivalent
• Leadership Qualification (e.g. CPPE Leading for Change)

Experience

Essential

• Medicines optimisation knowledge and experience
• Experience of working in ward, community services or primary care environment
• Some post qualification experience
• Evidence of CPD
• Basic knowledge of primary care
• Digital pharmacy experience

Desirable

• Experience of working in community services
• Experience of managing a team
• Experience of writing procedures and training packages
• Experience of managing IT systems
• Experience of report writing
• Experience of conducting audits
• Experience of recruitment
• Experience of managing meetings
• Successful project or change management
• Evidence of team role and multidisciplinary work

Skills, Abilities and Knowledge

Essential

• Able to record information accurately
• Attention to detail
• Ability to work independently or as part of a team.
• Ability to work under pressure, dealing with peaks and troughs in workload
• Ability to prioritise and meet deadlines.
• Ability to influence change
• Ability to identify when advice needs to be sought
• Ability to react to and manage the changing situation within the service on a daily basis and motivate and inform staff accordingly
• IT literate in Word, PowerPoint and Excel or equivalent programs
• Excellent communication and organisational skills
• Excellent time management skills
• Able to deal professionally with both staff and patients when dealing with sensitive information
• Able to work independently, show initiative within own authority limits and follow agreed procedures
• Evidence of CPD and study beyond those standards achieved for the BTEC in Pharmacy Services demonstrating commitment to lifelong learning
• Adaptable in approach to work and projects

Desirable

• Analytical and creative problem solving skills
• Knowledge and training in Quality Improvement
• Knowledge of legislative aspects of medicines supply issues
• Understanding of clinical governance and implications for service including Quality & audit
• Knowledge of Health and Safety at Work, including COSHH

Personal and People Development

Essential

• Reflective practice skills

Desirable

• Experience of supervising or managing staff
• Experience of delivering training to both Pharmacy professionals and other members of the multidisciplinary team

Personal Attributes / Behaviours (Linked to the Trust's Behaviour Framework

Essential

• Able to identify with the Trust's commitment to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and young people/vulnerable adults. Able to demonstrate a commitment and understanding of the importance of treating all individuals with dignity and respect appropriate to their individual needs
• Able to identify with the Trust's commitment to safeguarding and promote the welfare of children and young people/vulnerable adults
• Highly motivated and reliable
• Effective role model, demonstrating NCHC values of People community, compassion & creativity
• Enthusiastic and willing to learn
• Able to share learning with others
• Adaptable

Other

Essential

• The post holder will need to be passed fit to perform full duties of the post through occupational health with any reasonable aids and adaptations if necessary. Some roles require additional level of checks as part of the employment process i.e. roles which come into contact with children, vulnerable adults or their families
• Must hold full and valid driving licence and have access to a vehicle (if applicable)
• Able to communicate effectively in written and verbal English Language

Disclosure and Barring Service Check

This post is subject to the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act (Exceptions Order) 1975 and as such it will be necessary for a submission for Disclosure to be made to the Disclosure and Barring Service (formerly known as CRB) to check for any previous criminal convictions.

Certificate of Sponsorship

Applications from job seekers who require current Skilled worker sponsorship to work in the UK are welcome and will be considered alongside all other applications. For further information visit the UK Visas and Immigration website (Opens in a new tab).

From 6 April 2017, skilled worker applicants, applying for entry clearance into the UK, have had to present a criminal record certificate from each country they have resided continuously or cumulatively for 12 months or more in the past 10 years. Adult dependants (over 18 years old) are also subject to this requirement. Guidance can be found here Criminal records checks for overseas applicants (Opens in a new tab).

UK Registration

Applicants must have current UK professional registration. For further information please see NHS Careers website (opens in a new window).